Published: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 6:58 p.m.

According to the state Department of Health and Hospitals, flu activity is rampant in Louisiana with the Terrebonne and Lafourche area reporting an extremely high number of cases.

Dr. Michael Marcello, a physician at Ochsner St. Anne Family Doctor Clinic in Mathews, said the clinic has been seeing an “exponentially large” number of patients testing positive for the flu. He said the lab has been diagnosing eight to 10 flu cases per day at the clinic.

“On a daily basis we've documented a very large number of patients testing positive for both flu types A and B,” Marcello said.

Nationwide, flu season begins in October and typically runs through April. In Louisiana, the season usually peaks in February.

Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are concerned the early start means this flu season will be a bad one. In addition, the dominant flu strain officials are seeing is particularly aggressive.

Forty-one states are seeing widespread flu cases, including Louisiana. In addition, weekly tracking of flu activity in the state by the Department of Health and Hospitals shows more than 10 percent of patients visiting a doctor in the Terrebonne and Lafourche area are reporting flu-like illness.

“The flu season started very early this year, and it is increasing,” said Dr. Raoult Ratard, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health and Hospitals. “It is going to be a busy flu season.”

Flu is caused by a virus that infects the respiratory system, resulting in fever, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fatigue and body aches. While most people who get the flu can treat the disease at home with rest and medication, it can be more serious for others. The flu can cause secondary infections such as pneumonia and even death. Every year, as many as 36,000 Americans die from the flu and its complications.

“I got the flu for the first time ever this year, and it was miserable,” said Andrea Theriot, 28, of Houma. “I had a fever over 104 degrees, and my entire body hurt.”

Theriot said that to cope with the flu, she drank a lot of hot tea with local honey and lemon and tried to keep away from her family so they wouldn't catch the virus.

“We are all taking our vitamins, eating healthy and washing our hands often to help keep from getting it again,” Theriot said.

Eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and make sure you get enough sleep.

Exercise, don't smoke and avoid drinking to excess. All of those measures will ensure your immune system stays strong to ward off the flu virus.

It's also not too late to get the flu shot, Ratard said.

Flu vaccines cost $10 at parish health units, but Medicaid, Medicare and most insurance providers will cover the cost because it's less expensive than getting hospitalized with the illness. They're also available at many pharmacies, hospitals and doctors offices.

The federal Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone more than 6 months old get a flu shot. Especially those who are at higher risk of developing complications or people who care for high-risk populations.

That includes:

- Children ages 6-23 months.

- Adults 65 and older.

- People who have chronic medical conditions such as obesity, asthma, diabetes and heart or lung illnesses.

- Pregnant women.

- Residents in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

- Health-care workers.

- People who care for children younger than 6 months.

While doctors say the flu shot is the best protection, there are a number of things you can also do to keep from getting sick and spreading the disease.

The flu virus is spread by droplets made when people talk, sneeze or cough. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a person with the flu can spread the virus to someone up to 6 feet away.

To avoid getting the flu, wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and try to avoid close contact with sick people.

If you do get sick, cover your nose or mouth when you sneeze or cough. Most importantly, stay home until your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours. That will prevent you from spreading the illness to others.

<p>If you've been putting off that flu shot, go get it now.</p><p>According to the state Department of Health and Hospitals, flu activity is rampant in Louisiana with the Terrebonne and Lafourche area reporting an extremely high number of cases. </p><p>Dr. Michael Marcello, a physician at Ochsner St. Anne Family Doctor Clinic in Mathews, said the clinic has been seeing an “exponentially large” number of patients testing positive for the flu. He said the lab has been diagnosing eight to 10 flu cases per day at the clinic.</p><p>“On a daily basis we've documented a very large number of patients testing positive for both flu types A and B,” Marcello said.</p><p>Nationwide, flu season begins in October and typically runs through April. In Louisiana, the season usually peaks in February.</p><p>Officials with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they are concerned the early start means this flu season will be a bad one. In addition, the dominant flu strain officials are seeing is particularly aggressive.</p><p>Forty-one states are seeing widespread flu cases, including Louisiana. In addition, weekly tracking of flu activity in the state by the Department of Health and Hospitals shows more than 10 percent of patients visiting a doctor in the Terrebonne and Lafourche area are reporting flu-like illness.</p><p>“The flu season started very early this year, and it is increasing,” said Dr. Raoult Ratard, state epidemiologist for the Department of Health and Hospitals. “It is going to be a busy flu season.”</p><p>Flu is caused by a virus that infects the respiratory system, resulting in fever, coughing, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fatigue and body aches. While most people who get the flu can treat the disease at home with rest and medication, it can be more serious for others. The flu can cause secondary infections such as pneumonia and even death. Every year, as many as 36,000 Americans die from the flu and its complications.</p><p>“I got the flu for the first time ever this year, and it was miserable,” said Andrea Theriot, 28, of Houma. “I had a fever over 104 degrees, and my entire body hurt.”</p><p>Theriot said that to cope with the flu, she drank a lot of hot tea with local honey and lemon and tried to keep away from her family so they wouldn't catch the virus.</p><p>“We are all taking our vitamins, eating healthy and washing our hands often to help keep from getting it again,” Theriot said.</p><p>To stay healthy, Marcello recommends keeping your body well fueled and rested.</p><p>Eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and make sure you get enough sleep.</p><p>Exercise, don't smoke and avoid drinking to excess. All of those measures will ensure your immune system stays strong to ward off the flu virus.</p><p>It's also not too late to get the flu shot, Ratard said. </p><p>Flu vaccines cost $10 at parish health units, but Medicaid, Medicare and most insurance providers will cover the cost because it's less expensive than getting hospitalized with the illness. They're also available at many pharmacies, hospitals and doctors offices.</p><p>The federal Centers for Disease Control recommends everyone more than 6 months old get a flu shot. Especially those who are at higher risk of developing complications or people who care for high-risk populations. </p><p>That includes:</p><p>- Children ages 6-23 months.</p><p>- Adults 65 and older.</p><p>- People who have chronic medical conditions such as obesity, asthma, diabetes and heart or lung illnesses.</p><p>- Pregnant women.</p><p>- Residents in nursing homes or long-term care facilities.</p><p>- Health-care workers.</p><p>- People who care for children younger than 6 months.</p><p>While doctors say the flu shot is the best protection, there are a number of things you can also do to keep from getting sick and spreading the disease. </p><p>The flu virus is spread by droplets made when people talk, sneeze or cough. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a person with the flu can spread the virus to someone up to 6 feet away.</p><p>To avoid getting the flu, wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. </p><p>Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, and try to avoid close contact with sick people. </p><p>If you do get sick, cover your nose or mouth when you sneeze or cough. Most importantly, stay home until your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours. That will prevent you from spreading the illness to others.</p><p>“Stay in. Don't go to work, don't go to church, don't go to the store,” Marcello said.</p><p>Doctors can prescribe anti-viral medications like Tamiflu that can shorten the duration of your illness, Marcello added.</p><p>Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or nicole.buskey@houmatoday.com.</p>